Suspended in Fetal PositionAnonymous

Describe a specific moment or event in your life that has had a great impact on the person that you are today.

I stare at the seven month old embryo suspended in fetal position in my mother’s ultra-sound image. I am amazed and thus unable to look away. This tiny being is confined to the corners of my mother’s womb, its umbilical cord still attached to its sole provider. I could count the fingers and toes on its hands and feet, even the minuscule fingernails. I could see its beautiful little face; its eyes are closed shut unable to see the world. I could gaze at this creation forever, this pure and innocent little human being who has not yet learned and experienced. This tiny individual who is oblivious to the trials and tribulations that make up what we call "life". I am fully aware that in a matter of weeks, this child will soon become my annoying little brother that I can’t wait to get rid of, but I am unaware of the lasting effect that this image will have on my life.

This is not to say that my whole life has been transformed by the birth of my little brother, but that one image has had a profound effect on the way that I live my life and the way that I view the world. Within the confines of its sea of fluid, without doing anything extravagant, this little baby has given me one of the most powerful lessons of life. By...